Tru-si Technologies, Inc.

Applied Materials, Inc.

Alex Berger

Oleg Siniaguine

Jeffrey C Hudgens

Eric Andrew Englhardt

Sergey Savastiouk

Igor Bagriy

Disclosed herein are systems and methods relating to a transfer chamber for an electronic device processing system. The transfer chamber can include a first magnetic levitation track having a face-up orientation and a second magnetic levitation track spaced from the first magnetic levitation track and having a face-down orientation. The system can include substrate carriers that move along the first and second magnetic levitation tracks where each substrate carrier includes a magnet on a bottom portion to interact with a first magnetic field and a second magnet on a top portion to interact with a second magnetic field. The system also can include at least one lift pin assembly to move the substrate carriers in a vertical direction between the first and second magnetic levitation tracks.

Substrate transfer systems and methods of use thereof

The present invention comprises a brim surrounding a wafer or wafer-like object during plasma etching in a non-contact wafer holder, such brim facilitating uniform flow of the plasma discharge around the edge of the wafer during plasma etching. The brim of the present invention avoids plasma instability and non-uniform flow typical of conventional plasma etching near the edges of the wafer being etched. The brim of the present invention, by facilitating uniform and stable plasma flows, decreases non-uniform etching. One embodiment of the present invention permits the brim to move in the axial direction from a position substantially. This permits the etching process to be controlled for more uniform and precise wafer etching as lowering the brim tends to shadow the edge region of the wafer from the plasma, reducing etching in the edge region while not significantly affecting etching in the central regions of the wafer. Another embodiment of the wafer includes a barrier on the upper side of the brim directed upward from the brim at an oblique angle away from the wafer. This barrier contacts the upper surface of the brim so as to leave a protrusion or debris-collecting shelf on the upper interior portion of the brim. This shelf in combination with the upward oblique barrier deflects the plasma and debris from plasma etching away from the wafer. Another embodiment of the invention includes a gas-controlling baffle in which gas flow around the edge of the wafer may be controlled to compensate for mechanical imprecision in the gap between the brim and the wafer and/or to provide an additional means of controlling etching in the vicinity of the edge of the wafer.

Brim and gas escape for non-contact wafer holder

The present invention comprises a dynamic brake that applies restraining frictional force to a wafer in a wafer holder while the wafer holder is substantially at rest, but releases the restraining force as the processing carousel containing several wafer holders rotates about a central axis of the carousel. This dynamic brake preferably comprises a boot that passes through an opening in the wafer holder to rest on the surface of the wafer in an exclusion zone near the wafer's edge. The exclusion zone is typically no more than about 3 mm in extent. The frictional force between the boot and wafer is sufficient to prevent unwanted motion of the wafer in the holder. As the wafer holder rotates about a central axis of the processing carousel, centrifugal forces applied to the brake arising from such rotation cause the boot to pivot upward, releasing the frictional force on the wafer.

Method of preventing motion of article in an article holder

The present invention relates to a non-contact holder for substantially planar workpieces, particularly suited for holding thin workpieces without substantial distortion. The present invention includes a cylindrical chuck having a gas inlet orifice positioned at an oblique. The introduction of pressurized gas creates a vortex and vacuum attraction holding a wafer in close proximity to the chuck while the gas exiting from the chuck prevents contact between wafer and chuck. Small diameter chucks located in close proximity help the present invention avoid distortion when processing very thin workpieces. The gas exiting from the chuck of the present invention exits preferentially in a certain angular direction. Chucks are arranged on the wafer holder such that exiting gas is preferentially directed radially towards the periphery of the holder and that exiting gas is directed between adjacent chucks, not directly at another nearby chuck. Chucks on the periphery of the holder are positioned have the gas exiting therefrom towards the periphery of the holder and overlapping the gas flow from immediately adjacent chucks. Chucks on the periphery of the holder are located as close together as feasible. The combination of overlapping gas flow and close proximity creates a gas shield on the boundary of the wafer holder.

Non-contact workpiece holder

The present invention comprises a dynamic brake that applies restraining frictional force to a wafer in a wafer holder while the wafer holder is substantially at rest, but releases the restraining force as the processing carousel containing several wafer holders rotates about a central axis of the carousel. This dynamic brake preferably comprises a boot that passes through an opening in the wafer holder to rest on the surface of the wafer in an exclusion zone near the wafer's edge. The exclusion zone is typically no more than about 3mm in extent. The frictional force between the boot and wafer is sufficient to prevent unwanted motion of the wafer in the holder. As the wafer holder rotates about a central axis of the processing carousel, centrifugal forces applied to the brake arising from such rotation cause the boot to pivot upward, releasing the frictional force on the wafer.

Growing community of inventors

Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Alex Berger